Broaching machine for stub ball joints



July 14, 1936;

I w. A. HART BROACHING MACHINE FOR STUB BALL JOINT S Filed Sept. 10, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 62m .2 fl

ATTORNEY July 14, 1936. A HART 2,047,265,

BROACHING MACHINE FOR STUB BALL JOINTS I Filed Sept. 10, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheef. '2

mv'ErJTon William H. Ha'rZ.

' BY v v xm,% amjmu 'Ai'ronusvs.

July 14, 1936. w A: HART 2,047,265

BROACHING MACHINE FOR STUB BALL JOINTS Filed Sept. 10, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR William )4. Har, BY

ATTORNEYS.

J l14,1936; -l 2,047,265,

BROACHING MACHINE FOR STUB BALL JOINTS INVENTOR WLZZLd??? 7 7. Hart 352M 462E41 010a Z/Z ATTORNEYS Patented July 14, 1936 UNITED STATES BROACHING MACHINE FOR STUB BALL JOINTS William A. Hart, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Colonial Breach Company, a corporation of Michigan Application September 10, 1931, Serial No. 562,012 18 Claims. (Cl. 90--33) This invention relates to breaching machines and particularly to a breaching machine for supporting a work piece in such manner as to have a cylindrical aperture in the supported end enlarged and slotted by the passage of a breaching cutter thereacross.

The main objects of my invention are; to provide a breaching machine with a head for receiving and supporting a yoked work piece in position to have a breaching cutter machine a slot inthe ends thereof and finish the surface of .an aperture provided therein by a single passage of the cutter; to provide centers for supporting the body portion of the yoke in such-manner as to have the yoke span one of the centers the body portion of which is hollow to permit the passage of a cutter across the ends of the yoke; to provide a Wedge member for engaging the sideof one branch of the yoke in the direction in which the cutter is moved for bracing the yoke and relieving the center from the strain to which it would otherwise be subjected when the cutter isdraw thereacross; to rotatably mount a head, having a splined end for supporting .the yeke,- i n-;suchmanner as to revolve the extending yokepprtionsfinto a position-to span bracing blocksduring the time they are being broached; to provide a lock ;;for

the splined supporting member which accurately aligns the yoke relatively to the breach-andwhich is automatically unlatched at the end of the breaching operation to permit the splined end :to

be revolved so that the finished yoke maybe removed and a new yoke supported thereon; to provide interconnecting means for a .plurality of the yoke supports which areactuatedto :01 posit/e positions each time a control handle is moved to enable-a single operator tochange the yoke on one support during the time the yoke on the other support is bein machined.

Other objects and features of novelty of my invention will be either specifically pointed outer will become apparent when referring, for-abetter understanding of my inventiomto the following description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein: V

Figure 1 ,is a broken plan view, partlyinsection, of a breaching machine embodying features efmy invention, s

.Fig. 2 is a sectional .view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on the line 2 2;thereof,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the-structureillus trated-inFig. 1, taken on the line ;3-.-3;thereef,

Fig. 4 is a reduced end view. ofathestructuz e illustrated in Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a view, in elevation, pi a modified ferm endsthroughthemedium of slots 19.

of a supporting head for a breaching machine embodying features of my invention,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged View of one of the work supporting heads illustrated in Fig. 5,

Fig. '7 isa plan view, partly in section, of the structure illustrated in Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is an end view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 6,

:Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 7, taken on the line 9-.-9 thereof,

Fig. 10 is a sectional'view of the structure illustrated in Fig. '7, taken on the line Ill-ID thereof,

Fig. 11 is a front view of a work piece in the nature of a stub ball yoke which is supported on the :fixture illustrated in Fig.6, and

Fig. 51-2 isa side view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 11..

The stub ,ball yoke referred to hereinabove, is

;i 1u. .trated;inFigs. 1'1 and 12 as comprising a body portion 15 which projects laterally, at It, and longitudinally at each end of the laterally extending portion, at I'l, to form a yoke havingcylindrical apertures l8 which are opened at the-top The body portion 15 is provided witha splined aperture 2|, as illustrated in Fig. 11, for effecting the attachment of the stub ball yoke to the propellershaft of anautemotive vehicle. A similar yoke isdisposed at ,right angles to the yoke l4 above referred to, the two yokes being joined through-the medium of apertures I78 thereof .to a centrally disposed shafted ball for el Tecting a universal joint in the-propeller housingto permittheflexing ef'the-heusing during the operation of thevehicle. Referring to Fig. 4, Ihave illustratedone form ofsupporting fixture for the stub-ball yoke which is -to ;hav e the surface of the aperture l8 machinedto predetermined dimensionsby a breachi-ngcutter. "I have provided a casting 23 having a machined surfacez and a cylindrical hollow flange .25 by which thecasting 23 is attached to a face plate of a breaching machine, as shown in the figurel "Ihe breaching cutterg26 extends throughthe hollow flange 25 and is guided by the rail members 2:! and 26, illustrated in Fig. 3, which are attached to a plate .29 by bolts 3| which .plate is supported on the extending portion 32 of the casting 23 by bolts 33. An oil cup 34 is mounted onthe rail28 and is connected by an orifice .35 rte-an oil groove 36 which extends from the inner surface of the rail 28 across the face of 1the plate;29 tothe inner surfaceof the rails- ;2l to-geffect the lubrication. of allsides of the b eachin -..cutter. spanriing the central pertion'nof the rails .21

and 28, I have provided a bridging member 31 having a center 38 for engaging a central recess in the body portion |5 of the stub ball yoke I4, before the central splined aperture 2| is cut therein. Supporting and engaging blocks 39 are mounted on the ends of the bridging member 3'! through which bolts 48 extend for retaining the blocks 39 and the bridging member 31 in fixed relation to the rails 21 and 28. When the stub ball yoke I4 is positioned to have its central recess engaged by the center 38, the extending ends H of the yoke span the bridging member 31 while the sides of the laterally extending portion l6 thereof are engaged by the inner surface of the engaging blocks 39 to have the yoke supported on four sides against rotational movement.

The bridging member 31 is provided with a recess 4] which is slightly larger than the finished aperture I8 in the extending ends IT, for permitting the passage of the cutting blades 42 and 43 of the broaching cutter 26 therethrough, for machining the aperture and the slot to predetermined dimensions during one passage of the cutter across the yoke. A V-shaped block 44 is spaced from the bridging member 31 in predetermined relation to the center 38, for engaging and supporting the body portion l5 of the yoke.

Adjacent to the V-shaped block 44, I have provided an adjustable center 45 which is mounted on a boss 46 of the casting 23 as illustrated more clearly in Fig. 3. The boss 46 has a chamber 41 for receiving an enlarged end 48 of the center 45 and also for receiving a spring 49 which biases the center 45 away from the center 38. A cam 5| is mounted on a shaft 52 which is supported in bosses 53 of the casting 23 for effecting the positioning of the center 45 relative to the center 38 for accurately centering the stub ball yoke on the fixture. A suitable handle 54 is attached to an extending portion of the shaft 52 for effecting the actuation of the shaft and also the cam 5|.

On the opposite end of the shaft 52 from that supporting the handle 54, I have provided an eccentric arm 55, on the end of which a plunger 56 is pivotally supported by a pivot 51 upon which it is retained by a nut 58. A head 59 is provided on the opposite end of the plunger 56 and is engageable with a member 6| which is screwed into a slidable wedging member 62 for the purpose of withdrawing the wedging member when the shaft 52 is rotated to a predetermined position. The wedging member 62 is biased toward the broaching cutter 26 by a spring 83 to have the sloping wedging surface 64 thereof engage the outer surface of one of the yoke extensions IT, as illustrated in Fig. 1, for the purpose of relieving the center 38 and the bridging member 3'! from the strain to which it would be otherwise subjected if the wedging member 64 were not employed.

Referring to Fig. 2, the wedging member 62 is illustrated as being provided with a fiat portion 66 having projecting flanges 6'! which register with the guide plate 68 and is retained thereon by the side extending members 69 which are supported on the plate 68 by bolts 1|. The guiding plate 68 is retained by suitable bolts 12 on a supporting plate 13 which is mounted on the casting 23 by a bolt 14.

When it is desired to mount a stub ball yoke in the fixture illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the handle 54 is rotated in a counter clockwise direction for effecting a similar rotation to the cam 5| which releases the center 45 to permit the spring 49 thereof to bias the center rearwardly to increase the span between the centers 38 and 45. The stub ball yoke l4 has two recesses in the nature of centers provided in the ends of the body portion l5 and has the inner surface of the extending flanges 8 and the yoke portions l'l machined with holes I8 of reduced diameter drilled therethrough. The center recess in the end of the body portion I5 is positioned over the center 38 with the yoke extensions II bridging the member 31 and the body portion 15 resting in the V-block 44. The handle is then turned in a clockwise direction to move the center 45 forwardly into tight clamping relation with the center recess on the opposite end of the body portion |5. The cam acts as a lock for retaining the yoke in clamped position relative to the bridging member 31.

When the handle was first revolved in a counter clockwise direction the head 59 of the plunger 56 engaged the member 6| to withdraw the sloping surface 64 of the wedging member 62, against the bias of the spring 63, out of engagement with the stub ball yoke M to permit the removal of the yoke from the fixture. As the stub ball yoke is being mounted in the fixture, the clockwise rotation of the handle 54 moves the head 59 out of engagement with the member 6| to permit the spring 63 to bias the wedging member 62 to have the wedging surface 64 thereof wedge the yoke between the bridging member 31 and the guiding plate 68 on the side of the fixture in the direction in which the broaching cutter 26 is moved.

It is to be understood that, before the yoke is so mounted in the fixture, the broaching cutter 26 is reciprocated from the position illustrated in Fig. 1 to the opposite side of the fixture in a position to cut the notch l9 and dress the aperture |8 therein. From Fig. 1 it will be noted that the broaching cutters 43 are mounted ahead of the cylindrical broaching cutters 42, for the purpose of first machining the slot |9 of predetermined width in the end of the yoke l1 and thereafter to have the cylindrical portion of the broach dress the sides of the aperture l8 into predetermined finished dimensions.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated the passage of the broaching cutter 26 through the fixture during the machining of the slot l9 and the aperture |8 in the yoke l4 supported therein. It is to be understood that the broaching cutter 26 is reciprocated by a pull rod 15 which is a part of a ram (not illustrated).

In Figs. 5 to 10 inclusive, I have illustrated a modified form of fixture for supporting a stub ball joint l4 in which a splined central hole 2| is provided in the body portion |5 thereof. In the enlarged views of Figs. 6, 7 and 8, I have illustrated the fixture which includes a casting 'l'l having a hollow positioning flange 18 and supported on the face plate 19 by bolts 8|, as illustrated in Fig. 5. A spaced arm 82 extends frontwardly of the casting having a boss 83 on the end thereof in which a bearing 84 is provided in aligned relation to a bearing 85 mounted in the casting. A shaft 86 is journaled in the bearings, its central portion, between the casting and the boss 83, supporting the block 8! which is rigidly attached thereto by screws 88 to rotate with the shaft. A recess 89 is provided on the side of the block 81 facing toward the broaching cutter 9|, in which a cylindrical end 92, of a ball yoke supporting member 93, is pressed for retaining the member 93 in extension of the block 81. The opposite end of the member 93 is provided with a splined cylindrical portion 94 upon which the stub ball yoke I4 is mountable, as illustrated in dot and dash lines in Figs. 6 and 7.

The casting IT has a laterally extending portion 95 in which a plate 93 and side rail members 91 and 98 are supported by bolts 99, as illustrated in Fig. 6, for the purpose of forming a guide for the broaching cutter 9|. The cutter 9I is substantially similar to the cutter 26 referred to above, in reference to Figs. 1 to 4, and is reciprocated in the same manner by a suitable ram for moving the cutter SI longitudinally in the guide through the fiange I8. Suitable blocks IIlI are positioned on either side of the path, through which the broaching cutters 9I tranverses, which are spanned by the yoke portion I! of the ball yoke It, for the purpose of guiding and rigidly retaining the yoke in predetermined position relative to the cutter 9 I.

For further supporting the block 8'! against lateral movement relative to the shaft 89, I have provided a positioning bar Hi2 supported in the outer side thereof by bolts I93 and have provided a notch EM in the inner side thereof which is in contiguous relation to the outer surface or" a sleeve I05 positioned in the casting TI. The sleeve is provided with an inwardly directed flange I06 for supporting one end of a spring ID], the outer end of which engages the enlarged end portion I08 of a positioning pin I09 which is biased thereby outwardly from the sleeve I05. An aperture III is accurately positioned in the side of the slot I94, in which the head I08 of the pin I99 registers, when the block 81 is in predetermined position to have the stub ball yoke Id accurately positioned relative to the broaching cutter 9|. A V-shaped block H2, as illustrated in Fig. 6, is mounted on the arm 82 of the casting having the surface II3 thereof horizontally disposed to assist in accurately positioning the yoke relative to the cutter. In a like manner the stop member I I2 has a surface II i which limits the rotation of the block 8'! in the opposite direction into a position where a machined stub ball yoke may be removed from the splined end 94 of the supporting member 93 and a new yoke I4 placed thereon.

For unlatching the block 8 after the stub ball yoke It has been machined, I have employed a plunger H5 which is cylindrical in shape and provided with a square extending portion II6 which is tapered on one side at I I1 and extending through a slot H8 provided in the pin I99. A recess is provided in the casting TI at H9 and a similar recess is provided in the side of the plunger II5 wherein a spring I20 is retained for positioning the plunger relative to the casting. A plate IN is supported by screws I22 on the back surface of the casting IT for enclosing the aperture which encases the plunger I I5.

For actuating the plunger H5 relative to the position of the broach 9i, I have mounted a block I23 on the base of the broaching cutter 9|, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. The block has a sloping surface I24 which engages the rounded end 825 of the plunger II5, after the broaching cutter 9| has completely passed through the ball yoke. The sloping surface I24 moves the plunger I I5 longitudinally to have the sloping surface II'I thereof move through the slot I I8 in the plunger I99, for moving the plunger laterally to withdraw it from the aperture I I I provided in the block 87. The withdrawal of the plunger from the aperture frees the block 81 from the casting TI and permits its rotation between the limits of the stop surfaces II3 and H4.

For efiecting the operation of both of the fixtures illustrated in Fig. 5, I have provided straps I21 which are supported on the outermost surface of the blocks 81, having handles I28 on their upper ends and bosses I29 on their lower ends. A connecting rod I3I joins the two bosses I29 for effecting the opposite rotation of both of the blocks 81 when one of the handles I28 is actuated. When one block is clamped in horizontal position the other block will be retained at an angle, as illustrated in Fig. 5, to have one fixture positioned so ,as to effect machining of a yoke I4, while a machined yoke is being removed from the opposite fixture and a new yoke placed thereon.

During the machining of the one yoke, the ram of the opposite fixture is being reciprocated to move the broaching cutter to its frontwardmost position at the time the broaching cutter has passed beyond the yoke in the opposite fixture. At the end of the broach travel the block 81 of the finished yoke is unlatched so that, upon the actuation of one of the handles 28, the yoke will move out of the machinable position to a position in which it may be removed from the block as the yoke on the opposite block is moved into machinable position and latched.

While I have described and illustrated but two embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, omissions, additions, and substitutions may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in'the accompanying claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A broaching machine having a broaching cutter for machining the ends of the yoke portions of a member, including, a center for re ceiving one end of the body portion of the member, and having a slot in its body portion through which said broach extends, an adjustable center for engaging the opposite end of the body portion of said member for positioning it in the fixture, a wedge member extending between one side of one of the yoke portions of the member and the wall of the fixture, and control means for actuating said adjustable center to retracted position including means for withdrawing the wedge from between the side of the yoke portion and the fixture wall.

2. A broaching machine having a broaching cutter for machining the ends of yoke portions of a member including, in combination, a center having a slot in its body portion through which said broach extends for receiving a center recess in one end of the body portion of said member, an adjustable center for engaging the opposite end of said body portion for positioning the member in the fixture, a wedge member extending between one side of one of the yoke portions of the member and the wall of the fixture on the side toward which the broaching cutter is moved during the cutting operation, a cam for actuating the adjustable center, an eccentric for controlling the position of the wedge member, and a shaft upon which said cam and eccentric are mounted in fixed position for effecting the retrieving of the center and the wedge member when the shaft is rotated in one direction and for effecting their movement into clamping position when rotated in the opposite direction.

3. A broaching machine for machining a memher having a body portion and spaced projecting arms, broaching means, means spanned by said arms and engaging one end of said body portion, said means being provided With an aperture over the ends of which the arms extend and through which said broach is movable, and means for releasably engaging and supporting the other end of said body portion.

4. A broaching machine for machining a member having a body portion and spaced projecting arms, a broach, means provided with an aperture over which said arms extend and through which said broach is movable, and means for releasably engaging and supporting said body portion.

5. A broaching machine for machining a member having a body portion and spaced projecting arms, means spanned by said arms and having a projecting center engageable with one end of said body portion, and an adjustable center engageable with the opposite end of said body portion, said means having an aperture over which said arms extend and through which said broach is movable to machine said arms.

6. A broaching machine for machining a member having a body portion and spaced projecting arms, means spanned by said arms and having a projecting center engageable with one end of said body portion, an adjustable center engageable with the opposite end of said body portion, said means having an aperture through which said broach is movable and over the ends of which said arms extend, and movable means engageable with said member for bracing said member to resist the force of the broach during a cutting stroke.

7. A broaching machine having a broaching cutter for machining the ends of the yoke portions of a member including, in combination, an element straddled by said yoke portion and having a recess in its body portion over which the arms of the yoke portion extend and through which said broaching cutter is movable, means for engaging said member, and a wedge movable between one side of the yoke portion of the member and the wall of the fixture on the side toward which the broaching cutter is moved during a cutting stroke.

8. A broaching machine having a broaching cutter for machining the ends of a yoke portion of a member including, in combination, an element straddled by said yoke portion having a recess over which the arms of said yoke portion extend, a broaching cutter movable through said recess and engaging said arms, and means for bracing the yoke portion on the side toward which the broaching cutter is movable during a cutting stroke.

WILLIAM A. HART. 

